George W. Bush's position on Iran is "disturbing" and "dangerous", reads a position paper written in late 2005 by American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). One year ago the Bush administration accepted a Russian proposal to allow Iran to continue to develop nuclear energy under Russian supervision. Needless to say, AIPAC wasn’t the least bit happy about the compromise.

In a letter to congressional allies, mostly Democrats, the pro-Israel organization admitted is was "concerned that the decision not to go to the Security Council, combined with the U.S. decision to support the 'Russian proposal,' indicates a disturbing shift in the Administration's policy on Iran and poses a danger to the U.S. and our allies."

Israel, however, continues to develop a substantial nuclear arsenal. In 2000 the British Broadcasting Corporation reported that Israel has likely produced enough plutonium to make up to 200 nuclear weapons. So, it is safe to say that Israel's bomb building technologies are light years ahead of Iran's budding nuclear program. Yet Israel still won't admit they have capacity to produce such deadly weapons.

Meanwhile, as AIPAC and Israel pressure the U.S. government to force the Iran issue to the U.N. Security Council, Israel itself stands in violation of numerous U.N. Resolutions dealing with the occupied territories of Palestine, including U.N. Resolution 1402, which in part calls on Israel to withdraw its military from all Palestinian cities at once.

AIPAC's hypocrisy is nauseating. The goliath lobbying organization wants Iran to cease to procure nukes while the crimes of Israel continue to be ignored. So who is propping up AIPAC's hypocritical position? None other than Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Hillary Clinton of New York.

As one of the top Democratic recipient of pro-Israel funds for the 2006 election cycle, pocketing over $83,000, Senator Clinton now has Iran in her cross hairs.

During a Hanukkah dinner speech delivered in December of 2005 hosted by
Yeshiva University, Clinton prattled, "I held a series of meetings with
Israeli officials [last summer], including the prime minister and the
foreign minister and the head of the [Israeli Defense Force] to discuss
such challenges we confront. In each of these meetings, we talked at
length about the dire threat posed by the potential of a nuclear-armed
Iran, not only to Israel, but also to Europe and Russia. Just this
week, the new president of Iran made further outrageous comments that
attacked Israel's right to exist that are simply beyond the pale of
international discourse and acceptability. During my meeting with Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon, I was reminded vividly of the threats that
Israel faces every hour of every day ... It became even more clear how
important it is for the United States to stand with Israel...”

As Sen. Clinton embraces Israel's violence, as well as AIPAC's
fraudulent posture on Iran, she simultaneously ignores the hostilities
inflicted upon Palestine, as numerous Palestinians have been killed
during the continued shelling of the Gaza Strip over the past year.

Clinton’s silence toward Israel's brutality implies the senator will
continue to support AIPAC's mission to occupy the whole of the occupied
territories, as well as a war on Iran. AIPAC is correct — even
President Bush appears to be a little sheepish when up against the
warmongering of Hillary Clinton.

***

Hillary along with her husband Bill paid a visit to Israel in the fall
of 2005. The former president was a featured speaker at a mass rally
that marked the 10th anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister
Yitzhak Rabin. It was Hillary's second visit to Israel since she was
elected to office in 2000.

The senator did manage to take time out of her tour to meet with the
then semi-conscious Ariel Sharon to discuss "security matters." Hillary
also made her way to the great apartheid wall, which separates
Palestine from Israel. As the barrier is nearing completion, as the
monstrosity to a completion it will ultimately stretch to over 400
miles in length.

Palestinians rightly criticize the obtrusive wall on the grounds that
it cuts them off from occupied land in the West Bank. Thousands more
will be cut off from their jobs, schools, and essential farmland.

Hillary and her pro-Israel buds don't get it. When you put powerless
Palestinians behind a jail-like wall where life in any real economic
sense is unattainable, you wreak pain and anguish, which in turn leads
to more anger and resentment toward the Israeli government’s brutal
policies. Indeed, the wall will not prove to be a deterrent to
resistance, but an incitement to defiance.

"This is not against the Palestinian people," Clinton said as she gazed
over the massive wall. "This is against the terrorists. The Palestinian
people have to help to prevent terrorism. They have to change the
attitudes about terrorism."

The senator's comments seem as if they were taken word-for-word from an
AIPAC position paper. They may well have been as the lobby packs her
coffers full of cash. In May of 2005 Sen. Clinton spoke at an AIPAC
conference where she praised the bonds between Israel and the United
States:

"[O]ur future here in this country is intertwined with the future of
Israel and the Middle East. Now there is a lot that we could talk
about, and obviously much has been discussed. But in the short period
that I have been given the honor of addressing you, I want to start by
focusing on our deep and lasting bonds between the United States and
Israel."

Clinton went on to address about the importance of disarming Iran and
Syria as well as keeping troops in Iraq for as long as "it" takes. It
was textbook warmongering and surprise, surprise — Hillary got a
standing ovation for her repertoire.

It is no matter that Iraq will never see true democracy. The U.S. won't
allow that. Our government will never allow a free Iraq to form that
embodied even the slightest disgust toward Israel or America. Democracy
in Iraq, like democracy in Israel, has clear limitations.

Similar to her husband and the current president, Hillary Clinton will
never alter the U.S.' Middle East policy that so blatantly favors
Israeli interests.

Joshua Frank is the author of Left Out! How Liberals How Liberals
Helped Reelect George W. Bush (Common Courage Press, 2005) and edits
BrickBurner.org, the official news blog of DissidentVoice.org.

the turning tide on israeli apartheid
I am so pleased to see so many articles placing direct blame on israel as the main reason why the united states is so hated in the middle east, and a major reason why european capitals look at us like hypocrites for supporting the atrocities the criminal state of israel commits against the oppressed palestinians every day under their brand of apartheid. Yesterday president jimmy carter spoke at brandeis university and was well received by the students there, i believe this is only the beginning with regards to this issue being thrusted into the limelight so the everyday american can see how this lobby (aipac) has led us blindly into the war in iraq with the support of the christian right who support anything israel does just based on the fact that they read about israel in the bible, they also need to reassess their position on the crimes of the state of israel and hold them accountable for these crimes.

all i can say is alleluyah, lets talk about israel and the palestinians and support a resolution to that problem so they can coexist peaceably and so that the united states can move on with a fair policy in that part of the world.

well said!
I couldn't agree more with Joshua Frank's article, and Allan's comment. As for Hillary Clinton, she gave a speech to AIPAC just a couple of days ago, that was just so blatantly anti-Palestinian it drove me nuts; as a EU citizen who happens to love America, and also as a Jew.